Identification: I’m guessing that photo 2
is Calliandra peninsularis rather than a somewhat smaller Callliandra californica because I saw this
at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and their web site lists C. peninsularis. Like other fairy
dusters (e.g. Calliandra haematocephala,
Calliandra eriophylla Benth.), these have small dark green
bipinnate leaves. The soft-bristled “flowers” are really sprays of stamens.

In this species, the shape of the “brush” is like an inverted cone; in others it is more rounded.
The flowers are small and white, fused together at the base of the stamens, and not very interesting (unless
of course you happen to be
a hummingbird).
Seed pods are small, curled and dark brown. As they dry out, they build up pressure like a coiled
spring, eventually exploding to spread their seeds.